'I've been waiting a lifetime': Australian cap 40 years in the making

In somewhat of a full-circle moment, the 56-year-old Novocastrian was presented with the cap at half-time of the Matildas' 2-0 win over China at Accor Stadium on June 3 in front of 76,798 fans.

Watts, who was born Helen but later changed it to her middle name of Mara, was in the Australian women's soccer squad between 1983 and 1989.

She was selected to represent Australia at an eight-team tournament played in China in 1984, which was also contested by Japan, Italy, an American side and four Chinese provinces.

The team included Julie Dolan, who is recognised as Australian's first women's football captain.

The high school home economics and physical education teacher debuted against the Shaanxi province but the achievement of representing her country had not been acknowledged until last year, when Football Australia announced 42 former Australian representative players would be recognised.

They included players, like Watts, who were selected by the national governing body but did not participate in games classified as "A" internationals.

"It is important that we celebrate the achievements of those who have contributed so much to our game ... and the impact these players have made," Football Australia chief executive officer James Johnson said at the time of the announcement in May last year.

Watts was one of seven players to finally be presented with their cap by Johnson last week, saying it was a moment she had "been waiting a lifetime" for.

"Some people were posted them out, so I'm very fortunate that I got presented with mine," Watts, who made a move into coaching after three major knee injuries, said.

"I'm glad that they recognised me because I think I deserve that. It's nice because people would say, 'Mara never got a cap. She never played for Australia', which is not true. But because I hadn't been recognised, people didn't know.

"One of the girls who was also receiving a cap said, 'I feel like a bit of a flake, but I trained so hard'. I said, 'We all did'."

Watts, who helped establish a football program at Hunter Sports High, grew up in Hamilton South and first played for Merewether as an 11-year-old.

Girls were not allowed to play before then so the attacking midfielder instead honed her skills in the park with her two older brothers and in the schoolyard.

Newcastle's Toni Bashford was also among the 42 former Australian representatives formally recognised last year.